Motorized passive seat belt system

ABSTRACT

A passive seat belt system including a movable rod connected to a seat belt and a hook member connected to the rod. The rod is driven by an electric motor actuated in response to opening and closing of a vehicle door. The rod is moved to a forward position when the door is opened, with the hook member being moved into contact with a rear portion of the belt so as to prevent interference of the belt with ingress to or egress from the vehicle. The rod is moved to a rearward position when the door is closed, with the hook member being moved out of contact with the belt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to passive seat belt systems, especially suchsystems including driving motors.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Passive seat belt systems have been suggested in which the seat belt isautomatically positioned about a vehicle occupant before the vehicle isoperated, e.g., after the door is closed. Such proposed systems includemechanical devices as well as motorized electrical devices. Examples ofthe latter are those disclosed, for example, in the following U.S. Pat.Nos. 4,029,339; 4,004,829; 3,860,260; 3,833,239; 3,815,934; and3,770,078. It would be desirable, however, if a simple means wereprovided to effectively move the belt out of the way to thereby permitentry and exit of the vehicle by an occupant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a passive seat belt system in a vehicle including a door and a seatbelt adapted to be positioned about an occupant in a seat, one end ofsaid belt being connected to a retractor and the other end of said beltbeing mounted to said vehicle, the improvement comprising:

(a) rod means having one portion connected at said seat belt;

(b) hook means connected to said rod means and engageable with saidbelt;

(c) an electric motor to which one end of said rod means is drivinglyconnected;

(d) switch means in said vehicle actuated in response to opening andclosing of said door, said switch means being in electrical connectionwith said motor so that when said switch means is actuated, said motoris actuated; and

(e) said rod means being extended from said motor and being moved to aforward position when said door is opened to thereby move said seat beltto a forward position permitting free ingress to and egress from saidvehicle, with said hook means supporting a portion of said belt, andsaid rod means being moved by said motor to a rearward position whensaid door is closed to thereby move said seat belt to a rearwardoccupant-engaging position.

Accordingly, this invention provides a simple but effective means tomove the seat belt to a non-interfering position upon opening of thedoor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the passive seat belt system of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along arrow A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along arrow B of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the passiveseat belt system, generally indicated at 10, is provided in vehicle 12,such as an automobile, having a seat, shown as bucket seat 14, and anadjacent door 16. Seat belt 18 has one end which is wound up on aconventional retractor 20 mounted, for example, adjacent to the oppositeside of seat 14 from door 16. Retractor 20 may be of any suitable type,such as a vehicle sensitive retractor. The other end of seat belt 18 ismounted by suitable means to a structural part of the vehicle, such as"B" pillar 22, at a position above the height of an occupant seated inhis seat.

Conventional electric motor 24 mounted, for example, on the lowerportion of pillar 22, includes a winding device upon which a flexiblerod 26 is wound. Motor 24 is a reversible electric motor. Rod 26 issuitably formed of plastic material. As can be seen, the rod 26 issimilar to plastic rods utilized with conventional motorized telescopingpower antennas; indeed, motor 24 may be a motor similar to thatassociated with such power antenna.

Rod 26 is guided through track 28 which is partially mounted on pillar22 and on roof edge 30 of vehicle 12. An intermediate portion 32 oftrack 28 is curved between substantially linear portions. At least aportion of track 28, including intermediate portion 32, includes agroove 34 extending to the interior of track 28 in which rod 26 moves. Aring 36 is mounted at one location to rod 26 and extends through groove34 as shown in FIG. 2. Ring 36 is preferably in the form of aconventional D-ring. Ring 36, which may be affixed to rod 26 by anysuitable means, such as by clamp 38, is provided with an open centralportion 40 through which belt 18 passes. As rod 26 moves, as is referredto in detail below, ring 36 moves from a forward position to a rearwardposition 42, shown in dotted lines, adjacent to pillar 22.

Also mounted to rod 26 is a hook 44 which likewise may be affixed to rod26 by a clamp 46. Hook 44 has a substantially L-shape and includes abelt engaging segment 48. Hook 44 is mounted to rod 26 at a locationcloser to motor 24 than ring 36. Like ring 36, hook 44 has a forwardposition and a rearward position, indicated by dotted lines at 50.Mounted adjacent to door 16 is a conventional switch 52 which is anelectrical connection with motor 24, which is connected to a suitablesource of electricity, such as a vehicle battery (not shown).

In operation, with door 16 in its closed position, ring 36 and hook 44assume positions 42 and 50, respectively. When door 16 is opened, switch52 is actuated which in turn actuates motor 24. Rod 26 is moved in anoutwards direction from the winding drum of motor 24. As rod 26 movesupwards along the portion of track 28 on pillar 22 and forwards on theportion on track 28 on roof edge 30, ring 36 is moved forwards and movesbelt 18 therewith to a forward position at which belt 18 does notinterfere with ingress or egress of the vehicle occupant. Movement ofrod 26 continues until ring 36 and hook 44 reach their forwardpositions. A conventional limit switch may be provided in motor 24 forthis purpose. As hook 44 moves along curved portion 32 of track 28, itsportion 48 engages a portion 54 of seat belt 18 adjacent to its mountingend. Hook 44 maintains portion 54 in an elevated position and therebyprevents the portion of belt 18 between ring 36 and hook 44 fromdropping downwards and interfering with entry to or exit from thevehicle.

Assuming the occupant is entering the vehicle, once he sits in his seat14 and closes the door 16, switch 52 is again actuated which in turnactuates motor 44 to reverse its winding motion and winds up rod 26. Asrod 26 is wound up, it moves ring 36 and hook 44 rearward and downwardtowards motor 24. As hook 44 moves into curved portion 32 of track 28,it releases portion 54 of belt 18. Also, ring 36 moves belt 18 rearwardto a position indicated at 18a in dotted lines, adjacent to pillar 22.Rearward motion of motor 24 is stopped by suitable means, such as alimit switch. When rod 26 has reached its rearward position, belt 18 isnow positioned in a rearward, occupant-restraining position. Any excessslack in belt 18 is taken up by a rewind spring of retractor 20.

It may be desirable to include a plastic sleeve 56 around the portion ofbelt 18 that contacts the occupant's torso in order to prevent rubbingof belt 18 against the wearer, as is disclosed in copending U.S.Application Ser. No. 828,450 of Joseph Cachia, filed Aug. 29, 1977.

Although the foregoing description relates specifically to a passiveseat belt system in which a single belt and single retractor isutilized, it is to be understood that any suitable seat belt system maybe utilized together with the rod means of this invention. For example,separate lap and shoulder belts may be provided and which may beconnected to rod 26 by rings 36 or the like. Also, belt 18 may be in theform of a continuous loop belt which includes shoulder and lap portionsas is generally known and which likewise is in contact with rod 26.

It is further to be understood that variations and modifications of thepresent invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof.It is also to be understood that the present invention is not to belimited by the specific embodiment disclosed herein but only inaccordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoingspecification.

I claim:
 1. In a passive seat belt system in a vehicle including a doorand a seat belt adapted to be positioned about an occupant in a seat,one end of said belt being connected to a retractor and the other end ofsaid belt being mounted to said vehicle, the improvement comprising:(a)rod means having one portion connected at said seat belt; (b) hook meansconnected to said rod means and engageable with said belt; (c) anelectric motor to which one end of said rod means is drivinglyconnected; (d) switch means in said vehicle actuated in response toopening and closing of said door, said switch means being in electricalconnection with said motor so that when said switch means is actuated,said motor is actuated; and (e) said rod means being extended from saidmotor and being moved to a forward position when said door is opened tothereby move said seat belt to a forward position permitting freeingress to and egress from said vehicle, with said hook means supportinga portion of said belt, and said rod means being moved by said motor toa rearward position when said door is closed to thereby move said seatbelt to a rearward occupant-engaging position, said hook means beingmovable into supporting engagement with said belt upon movement of saidrod means to its forward position upon opening of said door and saidhook means being movable out of supporting engagement with said beltupon movement of said rod means to its rearward position upon closing ofsaid door.
 2. The passive seat belt system of claim 1 wherein said rodmeans is connected to said seat belt through a ring means.
 3. Thepassive seat belt system of claim 2 wherein said ring means is in theform of a D-ring.
 4. The passive seat belt system of claim 1 whereinsaid hook means is engageable with a portion of said seat belt adjacentto said other end when said rod means is moved to its forward position.5. The passive seat belt system of claim 1 wherein said rod means ismounted in a track provided in said vehicle.
 6. The passive seat beltsystem of claim 5 wherein a portion of said track is mounted on a pillarof said vehicle and another portion of said track is mounted along anedge of the roof of said vehicle adjacent said door.
 7. The passive seatbelt system of claim 1 wherein said rod means is formed of plasticmaterial.
 8. The passive seat belt system of claim 1 including a sleevesurrounding a portion of said belt which contacts the occupant's torso.9. The passive seat belt system of claim 1 wherein said retractor ismounted on the side of said seat opposite from said door.
 10. Thepassive seat belt system of claim 6 wherein said hook means ispositioned on said track on said pillar when said door is closed andsaid hook means is out of engagement with said belt.
 11. The passiveseat belt system of claim 10 wherein said pillar is adjacent said seat.12. The passive seat belt system of claim 1 wherein said hook means hasa substantially L-shape, one leg of said L being engageable with saidbelt.